Part-timer David Warner upstages Proteas tweaker Imran Tahir

SOUTH African tweaker Imran Tahir's trainwreck recall plunged to new lows last night - upstaged by David Warner's home brand leg-spin.

Warner - who had only three wickets entering this match - dislodged the game's premier No.3 Hashim Amla (11) unfurling leg-spin loaded with all the bravdo of batting that produced a game changing 119 in 112 balls on Thursday.

Warner was the seventh bowler used by Clarke but got the breakthrough Australia needed - allowing Matthew Wade to stump Amla as the keeper should have done unbeaten Graeme Smith (111) off the skipper's left-arm orthodox spin in the 28th over.

It would have been the first time Smith had been stumped in his career - instead he posted a 26th ton in the Proteas 2/217 riposte by stumps.

Warner's action - apparently modelled on legend Shane Warne - is a fluent as his power-hitting. Knockabout Warner gained real turn along with Nathan Lyon (0/53, 24 overs) and Clarke (0/10) on a second day strip that had proved a nightmare for poor Tahir who conceding 0/180 in Australia's first innings 550 total.

Lyon, 25, is sure to be a handful in his 15th Test on the fourth and fifth days when the pitch will deteriorate.

Lyon needs four victims to become the youngest Australian off-spinner to take 50 Test wickets in Adelaide but Tahir faces life as a cricket footnote - having both debuted last year.

Lyon has given up his day job as Adelaide Oval curator but Tahir must consider turning a voluntary gig as Proteas team smoothie maker into a full time profession without second innings wickets. The blender is beckoning.

Tahir inked the ninth worst innings figures of bowlers who finished wickettless - conjuring memories of leg-spinner Bryce McGain's career-ending 0/149 in an innings and 20 run loss to South Africa in the third Test at Cape Town in 2009.

Tahir leaked 7.82 runs an over, only behind McGain's 8.28 as the most expensive economy rate for any bowler. Even Proteas paceman Morne Morkel admitted he "felt sorry" for the former Pakistani but knew of Warner's "golden arm" after facing his partime leg-spin in the nets for Indian Premier League franchise Delhi.

South Africa have talked up Tahir as their frontline spinner but didn't play him in Brisbane - leaving the 33 year old a blubbering, self doubting entity ahead of this Test.

Despite taking 642 first-class wickets, Tahir could prove a fast burn after debuting with injured success story Vernon Philander against Australia in Cape Town last November.

Lyon rediscovered his above eyeline loop, and rhythm in Brisbane after a barren first class build up while Tahir watched from the dressingrooms - rewarded with 2/41 on the final day.

"Gazza" even used the front of hand slider variation to Smith before stumps that stunned Jacques Rudolph in Brisbane.

Ashley Mallett was invited by Australian coach Mickey Arthur to work with Lyon ahead of the Adelaide Test - an off-spinner he predicts will be 'world class' and surpass his own 132-wicket tally in 32 Tests.

Lyon is no longer locking up in his follow through and again flighting the ball with patience - if only Tahir had someone of Mallett's ilk in his corner.

"I hear Rowdy Mallett has had a word with him and he is now nicely balanced coming in and spun his first two very sharply, bowling slower," said former Australian skipper Richie Benaud.